Create a language with only 20 words

[persona]

This is a challenge.

You have to come up with the most expressive language you can think off using only 20 words.

Rules:

You cannot use tones.
One word = one morpheme.
You cannot add prefixes or suffixes to words, all words must be separate.
The rules are pretty much the same as Toki Pona.

The language would end up being very similar to Toki Pona, but Toki Pona uses over 100 words. This will have 20 or less.

P.S You don't have to create a grammar, just the words.

Good luck!

[linguoboy]

Here, I can do it in four:

eep demonstrative
aa task, work, burden, challenge
ook stupid, useless
ap copula

eep ap ook aa

[hashi]

This has come up innumerable times on this forum, and on others. While it's a good challenge, it's realistically not a viable option for a conlang.

[Koko]

eep ap ook aa

This is a great code that is applicable in many everyday occasions I assume "eep aa ap ook" is an acceptable phrase

[TheStrayCat]

eep ap ook aa

This is a great code that is applicable in many everyday occasions I assume "eep aa ap ook" is an acceptable phrase

As OP said, the grammar doesn't matter, so you can just say Ook! and leave room for three more words.

[Koko]

That's true! Great jokelang linguoboy

[RubyH]

the vocabulary is done!
i'll do it in 3,

˙tǝ˙tǝ˙tǝ˙/˙pǝ˙pǝ˙pǝ˙ Null[a place holder for a word]
˙pǝ˙pǝ˙tǝ˙ Useless;
˙tǝ˙tǝ˙pǝ˙ Demonstrative;
to say work you say
ttt
ppt
ttp
it has no recursion, tense aspect, gender, color, kinship, amm…
or general-concepts. the language also has no grammar, syntax or spelling.